The Country Chase: Tess Polk’s rendition of a scene for a children’s book

Of course, the author went with the artist whose image conveyed innocence. Perhaps using fewer, brighter, and fuller colors.

But Tess doesn’t sacrifice her standards, style, or her impact for anything.

So, the author chose the childish painting for their book. Perhaps that person wants the children to experience comfort from the picture. But the best children’s books, the ones we remember as adults, didn’t just entertain us. They expanded our minds. We looked at Max with the Wild Things, or the Horton with the Whos, or Tikki Tikki Tembo. And when we did, neurons near our eyes mounted expeditions into the unknown, discovering new worlds and making us more whole.

Tess has that effect.

As I look at this family dog in action, I see a blond autumn wolf. She’s healthy (the paws and coat), she’s curious (the sensitive ears), and she’s good-natured (the kind blue eyes).

No harm will come to that timid, irritated rabbit. He knows he’ll outrun the muddy pooch. But he thinks: Why should I have to? Why right now?

If he were to end his flight here and now, the yellow wolf would stuff her snout in his business and maybe give him a lick or two. She’s just waiting for the bunny to start up again. Just in it for the chase. No one was around to play fetch.

The trees in the background look on with calm delight.

The white rabbit doesn’t exactly look terrified, does he? Those fuzzy ears are alert, though untensed. I think the real problem here is that damn caffeinated dog is casting a shadow over him, obscuring the shine on his flawless white fur. C’mon, man!

I guess the small animal is a bit vain, isn’t he? He hoped to spend the afternoon admiring his own luxurious exterior under a bright sun.

So much for that plan.

The Red woman and Blue Lady

The Red Woman - a cool place

She might be a refugee. She’s entered a cool, peaceful place. A different society. She’s safe now. 

“Oh fuck yes!”

She massages her scalp and zhuzhs up her luxurious, black hair. A gift from her homeland. 

Though the cold wind reminds her she’s been saved, an intense heat lives inside her. A reminder of the peril and trauma she’s only just escaped. 

“Good luck, ma’am.”

The Blue Lady - a hot place

She’s always calm, COOL, and collected. That’s how she got this assignment. She doesn’t crack under pressure. She can think on her feet. 

But things here are different. The situation on the ground is fear. It’s carnage and sorrow. It’s hell. 

And a year of it has diminished her. It’s hard to keep focused in a world of free fire. 

“There’s so much hate here.”

But underneath it all, she’s clearly composed. Still calm...Still COOL. 

We take comfort in that.

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Maybe the Red Woman and the Blue Lady had helped one another, working to make this a more purple world.